Release mechanism for semiautomatic firearms



Jan. 23, 1951 J. PHlLLlPS ETAL 2,538,799

RELEASE MECHANISM FOR SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS v I Filed July 18, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.2

INVENTORS JOHN PHILLIPS FRANK K. HAINES ATTOR NEY Jan. 23, 1951 J. PHILLIPS ETAL 2,538,799

RELEASE MECHANISM FOR SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 18, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN PHlLLlPS .50 BY /F%K ys ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1951 RELEASE MECHANISMTORSEMIAUTO- MATIC FIREARMS John Phillips,

Oakland, and Frank K. Haines, San Francisco, Calif.

Application July 18, 1949, Serial No. 105,434

"4 Claims. (01. 89138) (Granted.- under s actof March a, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928;

This invention relates to semi-automatic firearms and more particularly to an improved clip latch release for actuating operating rod catch mechanisms of the type used to limit bolt action and an example of which is disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 2,377,338 granted to J. C. Garand on June 5, 1945, and com- 'monly known as the Garan'd rifle.

The Garand rifle is a gas operated semi automatic rifle in which gas, pressure actingon a'piston forces back an operatingrod that is linked to the bolt and servesto compress an operating rod spring, retract the bolt so as to open the breech and extract and eject the empty cartridge case. A new round then automatically slips into the chamber and the recoil spring closes the breech.

The bolt may be withdrawn manually when desired by rearward movement of an operating rod handle which projects from the side of the rifle. When the rifle is empty the bolt may'b'e retained in retracted position by the operating .rocl catch mechanism.

In order to close the bolt it has heretofore been necessary while supporting the gun with one hand to momentarily retract the operating rod handle with the free hand andthen with both hands occupied to insert a thumb into'the breech and depress the magazine follower at' the same time permitting the bolt to move forwardly about an inch over the end. of thefollower. With this accomplished, the operating rod handle is 'released and the thumb'mu'st be smartly removed before the relatively heavy operating rod spring snaps the boltclosed. The hazard of such operation, especially under field conditions, is obvious and considerable care and skill is required in order to avoid severe laceration of thehand.

In view of the foregoing, it is thereforean object of the present invention to provide means whereby the breech of a rifle may be closed without placing a finger in the path of the bolt.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a release of theabove character which is simple in co nstruction, positive in action and may readily be installed.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying r wings in which: a.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the left side of the breech portion of a rifle em- .bodying the device of the present invention;

Fig. an a longitudinal section providing an enlarged inside view of the breech of a rifle emtype disclosed in .U. S. Patent No. 2,377,338. To

simplify reference to 'that patent, the reference bodying the present invention with bolt open and clip removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken along a line substantially corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 2 but with the bolt closed and a loaded clip in the magazine; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a clip latch embodying the present invention.

In the drawings, the present invention is shown embodied in a semi-automatic gun of the Garand characters there used have been applied to corresponding parts of the present device.

, Referring first toFig. 2 showing the relative position of the pertinent parts of a Garand rifle when the magazine is empty, it will be noted that the bolt I-I may be held in retracted position by an operating rod catch mechanism to be more fully. described later. The position of bolt H is controlled by the operating rod which in turn is held in bolt retracted position by an operating rod catch mechanism which includes a catch I iii) cartridge follower I08 in the magazine.

pivotally mounted on pin I I8 carried by a follower arm I I1 and provided with a transverse lug I21 on the rear end of the operating rod 24 for latching the rod in retracted position. A follower mechanism associated with the aforementioned .catch mechanism controls the position of catch I25 depending upon the relative position 01 the the-last shot has been fired and the follower I08 raised to the position shown in Fig. 2 a shoulder portion I28 on follower rod 28 engages a cam I surface I29 on catch I25 to urge the forward portion of the catch upwardly so that lug I21 will engage and be retained by notch I26 when the operating rod retracts.

Heretofore, the operating rod catch could be released and the bolt closed only by depressing the follower I98. This was done by inserting a new clip or, if it was desired to leave the chamber empty or to fire single shots only, it was necessary to manually depress the follower IDS by inserting the thumb or forefinger into the magazine with theabovediscussed hazard of bodily injury. In

either case release of the catch was effected in the following manner: as the follower moved downwardly in the magazine, a shoulder on the forwardportion of arm III engaged a rearwardly extending arm I33 on a small accelerator lever pivotally mounted on pin Isl carried by catch I2'5. As arm I33 moved upwardly its upper surface engaged an extension I34 on bullet guide I20. Continued downward movement of the fol- When.

in Figs. v3 and 4.

finger into the magazine todepress lower caused the arm I33 to fulcrum on extension I34 thereby moving pivot pin 13! downwardly and, as a consequence, catch E was rocked on pin H8 until lug I21 was released from slot I26. Operating rod 24 was then free; to travel forward under the influence of an operating rod spring,

2? drawing forward bolt H with it.

The clip latch release comprises an elongated,

' ceiver, a clip latch mechanism carried by the lever member llll shown in detail inFig. 4 .and,,

is mounted for bodily movement around its. lon

gitudinal axis. This member is journaled on a pin I02 (Fig. 3) and has'a depending clip engaging finger I03 (Figs. 2'and 4) affixedto its rear end which projects into-the receiver for engagement with a notch in a clip positioned in the magazine. The finger I03 normally holds the clip in the magazine under the influence: of a spring I05 acting on a thumb portion fill-a of the latch. A second finger M4 on the front end of latch till laterally projects through an .opening in the receiver for engagement with arm I on the rear end of catch I25 of the aforementioned operating rod catch mechanism. It will be, seen from Fig. 2that as the shoulder portion H8 011' follower rod- 28 engages the cam surface L29 on catch 125 the. catch is rocked on pin H8. When this occurs. the rearwardly extending arm 1.3.6, is moved downwardly to engage finger I04 thereby rocking latch IOI, on pin H12 causing finger I93 to swing outwardly. This. action releases the empty clip I (Fig. 3) ,and' as the bolt retracts after the last cartridge is firedv spring 80 forces the clip outof the magazine.

The improvement of. the present invention comprises the addition. to the clip latch Illl of" an external dependin thumb piece. I preferably secured to the forwardendthereof as shown Referring once more to Figs. 2. and .3, it will be seen that as pressure is applied to thumb piece 159 the clip latch Mil. rotates about pin see and finger I04 swings. upwardly lifting arm 1.3.9 which isv in contact with finger I134. This upward movementofarm-lBO rocks catch I25 on pin Ha causing the forward portion of the catch to move downwardly a sufficient amount to release lug l2?! from slot I26. As the release is effected the operating rod and bolt connected to it may nowmove forward under the tension of the operatingrod spring to close. the breech.

It, will be noted that the, present invention is particularly useful where it is desired to: fire single rounds of ammunitionwith this type of gun instead of usingth-e usual loaded clip. In

such instances the present invention enables the operator to load single shots with great rapidity and safety since he no longer needs toinsert his the cartridge follower after each shot.

The invention also facilitates the closing of the bolt during drill by eliminating unnecessary manipulation of the hands thereby enabling the operatorv to carry outv the drill in a more military manner. Y v,

It should be. understood; of course; thastthe foregoing disclosure relates to only apreferred embodiment of the invention and that: numerous modifications or alterations. may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in; the appended claims.

receiver, saidlatchmechanism including a finger projecting into the receiver; a bolt operating rod, a lug on said rod; a bolt operating rod catch having notch adapted to receive the lug on the operating rod for holding the operating rod :inretractedposition; and a lever on said latch for moving saidfinger whereby said catch may be, moved to disengage the lug from the notch to thereby release the operatin rod.

2.. In a of the character described a receiver, a clip latch mechanism carried by the receiver including a latch member mounted externally of. the receiver, a finger integral. with said. member and projecting into the receiver; a reciprocable breech bolt in the receiver, abolt operating rod, 3. 111g on the rod; an operating rod catch, mechanismincluding a catch having a notch to receive the lugon the operating rod for. holding therod in retracted position, anflarm on. said catch adjacent said finger; alever on said latch for vmoving said finger and said arm whereby said catch maybe moved so as to disengage the lug from the notch and thereby release the operatin rod from the efiect. of the catch mechanism.

' 3'. In a gun. of the characterdescribed a receiver,. at reciprocable breech bolt in the receiver, an operating rod connected tothe bolt, alug on said rod; resilient means ior normally urging the boltclosed, an! operating rod catch mechanism having a. notch adapted to ,receive saidlug to retain the bolt in: retracted position, a latch operable. to release the operating rod catch mechanism so that the bolt may be closed by said spring, the latch including a finger positioned adjacent the:catchmechanism; and manually operablemeans toraisesaid finger to trip the catch and' allow thespring to close the bolt.

4. In: agun of the character described a receiver, a reciprocable breech bolt in the receiver, an opera-ting rodconnected to the bolt for normally-retainingthe bolt" retracted, a lug on said rod, an operating rcd'ca-tch mechanism having a notch adapted to receive said lug, and a latch operable to release the-operating rod catch mechso that the bolt may close, said latch including a thumb engageable portion which may be depressed to bodily rotate the latch about its longitudinal axis to: thereby withdraw said lug from: the notch.

. JQHN-PHILLIPS.

FRANK K. HAINES.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? 1,656,845 Sutter Jan. 17, 1928 

